Women Taking Matters Into Their Own Hands

"My personal belief system is not to fear something but to be prepared to eliminate that fear,"said Nelda Haggard. "I really felt like he was chasing me."

A college scare still haunts Nelda years later.

So she's decided to turn a new skill into a defense tool.

She's preparing for her concealed weapon license.

But she's not the only woman standing up for her self defense.

A ladies' group meets Saturday mornings to learn gun safety, and practice their defensive shooting.

From a class room setting to an indoor range, these ladies drop their pencils and pick up their glocks.Michelle Pickett, owner of Harry Beckwith Gun Dealer and Indoor Range in Micanopy, teaches these women how to build the confidence in something she herself was once scared of.

"I see the women come in and they're not familiar with fire arms, they've never shot a firearm. They are nervous and I was one of those girls," said Michelle Pickett, owner of Harry Beckwith Gun Dealer and Indoor Range. "So I know exactly what they feel. I did not grow up around firearms, my parents told me how terrible fire arms were, so I was one of those ladies."

As nerves turn to confidence these women of different ages and with different stories all just want to be prepared.

"I know that our police officers are our first responders and we should call on them if we need to, but they may not always be able to come when we need them to," said Linda Steckley, who has applied for her concealed weapon license. "So I think it's important that you be prepared."

Protection is what's stressed in the class. The ladies are encouraged to shoot only when they are in fear for their live, which can happen when least expected. "We don't get to choose the time and place for self defence," said Michelle Pickett. "It's like camping without a tent. A gun is a tool to protect themselves."

If you don't have a concealed weapon license or rather not use a gun, there are still many options for you to feel safe; you can carry pepper spray on your key chain or a kubotan.